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Gomes In Battle For Time In Right
Photo by CLIFF McBRIDE/STAFF
Jonny Gomes shows off his newest tattoo at practice Friday at the Naimoli Complex.
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Published: February 25, 2008
Updated: 02/24/2008 11:55 pm
ST. PETERSBURG - Jonny Gomes does not take his body art lightly. If there's a tattoo on his skin, rest assured it's there as an outward expression of some facet of his personality, or as a reminder of something significant out of his past.
There's the intricate shield-like design on his back, a salute to his older brother Joey, a former Rays minor-leaguer. There's the Celtic "AW" wrapped around his right biceps, a tribute to his friend Adam Westcott, who was killed in a car accident when he and Gomes were in high school.
But the meaning behind this year's colorful, Japanese-themed addition - a Koi fish swimming upstream among cherry blossoms emblazoned across his upper-left arm - isn't immediately apparent.
The 27-year-old Rays outfielder/designated hitter explains.
"Like, here, in America, the caterpillar will turn into a butterfly," Gomes said. "Well, the Japanese Koi fish, back in the day, they thought in the 1800s would swim up the Red River, and the strong ones that make it to the top would turn into a dragon. So, I've got my Koi fish swimming to the top."
It's emblematic of perseverance, determination, triumph over adversity. Oh, and a little bit of good luck thrown into the mix.
This tattoo, then, represents the qualities that have defined Gomes' career in baseball, and his life in general.
Virtually homeless at times as a teenager in Petaluma, Calif., Gomes actually was a passenger in the aforementioned car wreck that took his friend's life. And, at age 22, Gomes was hospitalized for a week after suffering a heart attack.
Far less monumental in terms of life's obstacles - but vitally important in terms of career advancement - has been Gomes' inability at the major-league level to master right-handed pitching.
In 338 major-league games, Gomes has batted .292 with a .396 on-base percentage against lefties, and .223 with a .310 on-base percentage against right-handers.
That statistical disparity, as much as anything, is why Gomes finds himself this spring working as one of three players, along with right-handed hitter Rocco Baldelli and left-handed hitting Cliff Floyd, who are expected to split time in right field and at designated hitter.
"In an ideal world, the plan is to get Rocco in right field as much as possible; and against right-handed pitching, Floyd DHs; and against left-handed pitching, Gomer DHs," said Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman. "Now, we know that Rocco's not going to play right field every day, so that's mixing guys in, depending on the situation. It will be fluid."
How fluid will depend on the long-term health of Baldelli, whose hamstring issues limited him to 35 games last season, and on Floyd, who was limited to 108 games with the Cubs last year because of neck, shoulder and elbow injuries.
"They're all tied together," said Rays manager Joe Maddon. "First of all, we have to determine how many games Rocco can play out there. Rocco would be the dominant defensive player if you have the choice. Once you find out what Rocco can do, you go with Jon, defensively, for me. ... Cliff, I really don't want to get him out there too often. I think that would be unwise. He's going to play some outfield, but the least we do of that, the better off he's going to be and we're going to be."
That isn't exactly Gomes' idea of an "ideal" world, though. Since breaking into the majors for the first time in 2003, his goal has been to earn a place as an everyday outfielder.
Understandably, that hasn't been easy with Carl Crawford, B.J. Upton, Rocco Baldelli and, previously, Delmon Young in line ahead of him.
Still, Gomes' own history - and his belief in the power of perseverance - won't let him abandon the goal of becoming an everyday outfielder in the majors.
"To tell you the truth, no one wants to come into camp with a three-person rotation in the field," Gomes said. "There's two positions, which means there's an odd man out. But like I told Joe, I'm ready for 162 games in the outfield, health-wise. So, whether the team needs me or not, that's up to Joe. But all I can do is come in ready."
Reporter Carter Gaddis can be reached at (813) 259-8291 or igaddis@tampatrib.com.
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